In this image it shows the six different ahupuaʻa on the island of Oʻahu, each ahupuaʻa being divided from the mountain to the sea.
Before the māhele
Prior to the movement of the Kuleana Act of 1850, all Hawaiian Islands were conquered by King Kamehameha The Great, who established a tenure system which was called the ahupua'a system. "The concept of pirvate property was unknown to ancient Hawaiians, but they did follow a complex system of land ownership" (HawaiiHistory). Each island was in charge by the highest chief who held as a trust for everyone on that island. Each island was then divided into smaller parts, each part running from the mountain tops to the sea. Oʻahu for example, was divided into six separate parts. These ahupuaʻa wre set up to avoid "disputes between neighboring chiefs and landholders" (Fornander 60). The problem was that not every ahupuaʻa had every resource, therefore meaning that different ahupuaʻa would have to share resources with each other.
There was no private property that was owned, but "land tenure of the makaʻāinana (commoners) was stable" (HawaiiHistory). Taxes were paid to the local overseer of that ahupuaʻa, who collected goods to support the chief and his court. There were Kapu laws, or restrictions on the land and its resources. Restrictions on fishing certain species during specific seasons, gathering and replacing certain plants, and on many other aspects of social interaction as well (HawaiiHistory). Through this Kapu system and the ahupuaʻa system, people were able to maintain a sustainable lifestyle.
There was no private property that was owned, but "land tenure of the makaʻāinana (commoners) was stable" (HawaiiHistory). Taxes were paid to the local overseer of that ahupuaʻa, who collected goods to support the chief and his court. There were Kapu laws, or restrictions on the land and its resources. Restrictions on fishing certain species during specific seasons, gathering and replacing certain plants, and on many other aspects of social interaction as well (HawaiiHistory). Through this Kapu system and the ahupuaʻa system, people were able to maintain a sustainable lifestyle.